Government

At a projected cost of $1.4 million, the Sauk City Village Hall remodel project is going nearly all out to reconfigure and update the building. The remodel project has long been on the village’s to do list, and at their December meeting the board heard the near-final price on project and had a few options to choose from.

The January 17^th Parks meeting at 6 p.m. for the village of Black Earth will include a “community visioning session and public hearing.” All residents are encouraged to attend.

Parks Committee Chair Jared Brammerson explains:

On December 19, 2022, Moody’s Investors Services upgraded the Village of Prairie du Sac’s general obligation debt rating to Aa3 from A1.  The rating reflects the village’s ability to repay debt and debt-like obligations. 

Average residential customers of the Black Earth Electric Utility will pay about $3 more per month for electric, according to an order issued last week by the Public Service Commission.

The Arena Village Board, Kate Reimann, village president, and trustees Kathy Stoltz, Tami Erspamer, Kristen Shea, Melissa Bandell, Brittany Carney and Jim Doerflinger, recognized police dog Dioge with a proclamation at their December meeting:

The referendum approved by two votes in the November election will not be part of the Arena village budget.

Both Sauk City and Prairie du Sac will start the year with new construction, namely, village hall remodels.

In Sauk City, the $1.4 million project is offset by $364,769 in American Rescue Plan funds. Village administrator Heidi Koch summarized the project:

The Village of Prairie du Sac approved the 2022-23 budget and levy at their meeting last Tuesday. The big story is an increase in equalized property values—$75 million in growth. This led to a 9 percent increase for the levy. The mill rate rose by four percent. A $225,000 house will pay $1,800 in taxes for the village.

The Village of Black Earth held its Budget Public Hearing on Tuesday night, approving the 2023-4 budget. Although the final figures and mill rate have not yet been calculated, the mill rate is expected to rise by 2 percent.

At their November meeting, the Black Earth board heard from Jeffrey Wiswell, Sr., who was hired as the interim village administrator by the village in the wake of Shellie Benish’s departure.  Wiswell gave a summary of Black Earth compared against other nearby, similar villages.